Aquarium Leaf Guide

Botanicals, tannins & leaf litter — including forageable leaves found around New York City.

General Aquarium Leaves
Widely available botanicals — most purchased online or at specialty stores. Click "See real photos" on any card to open a Google Image search.
New York City Forageable Leaves
All found in NYC parks — free, local, aquarium-safe. Collect naturally fallen dry leaves only. Use the ID notes + photo links to confirm species before collecting.
NYC Foraging Guide
How to safely collect, dry, and prepare local leaves for your aquarium.

✅ Do This

  • 🍂 Collect only naturally fallen, dry brown leaves — not green ones
  • 📍 Stay 50+ ft from busy roads (exhaust & pollution)
  • 📅 Best time: October–November after first frost
  • 🗂️ Store in dry paper bags or breathable mesh — never plastic
  • ☀️ Air dry 2–4 weeks, or oven dry at 200°F for 1 hour
  • 💧 Rinse briefly with room-temp water before adding to tank
  • 🌿 Pre-soak 24–48 hrs to soften initial tannin burst if needed

⚠️ Avoid These

  • ☠️ Black Walnut — toxic juglone, lethal to fish
  • ☠️ Yew (Taxus) — highly toxic hedge plant
  • ☠️ Horse Chestnut — toxic saponins
  • ☠️ Privet — common hedge, toxic to fish
  • ☠️ Oleander — extremely toxic
  • 🚫 Green or waxy leaves still attached to trees
  • 🚫 Never boil leaves — removes the beneficial tannins
Best NYC Parks for Foraging
ParkBoroughBest LeavesNotes
Central ParkManhattanRed/Silver Maple, Sycamore, Elm, OakNorth Woods & Ramble area are best
Prospect ParkBrooklynRed/Silver Maple, Oak, Beech, CherryLong Meadow edges & Ravine section
Inwood Hill ParkManhattanAmerican Beech, Oak, Maple, CherryOne of last old-growth forests in NYC
Van Cortlandt ParkBronxOak, Beech, Alder, Maple, SweetgumNear Tibbetts Brook for alder finds
Staten Island GreenbeltStaten IslandOak, Beech, Alder, Sweetgum, SycamoreMost diverse foraging in all 5 boroughs
Jamaica Bay / Gateway NRAQueens/BrooklynSweetgum, Oak, Cherry, AlderFreshwater edges — great for alder cones
Pelham Bay ParkBronxOak, Maple, Beech, Sweetgum, HawthornLargest NYC park — very diverse
Alley Pond ParkQueensSweetgum, Oak, Maple, AlderFreshwater wetland — great alder cones
Where to Buy
Cheapest options first — prices are estimates and may vary.
RetailerProductQtyEst. PriceShippingPer LeafNotes
Free / ForageOak, Beech, Maple, Magnolia, AlderUnlimitedFREEN/A$0.00NYC parks have all of these
AmazonLeonBach Catappa 5–8"100~$8–$10Free (Prime)~$0.09Best catappa bulk value on Amazon
AmazonJungleAquashrimp Guava Leaves200~$10–$12Free (Prime)~$0.05Best bulk value for guava
AmazonSunGrow Mini Catappa50~$6Free (Prime)~$0.12Great for small tanks & bettas
Walmart.comCatappa Leaves (various)10~$5.59Free over threshold~$0.56Search "aquarium catappa leaves"
eBayCatappa Leaves (bulk)50+VariesOften freeOften cheapestFilter by free shipping
Betta BotanicalsCatappa, Loquat, Jackfruit, GuavaVariesVariesPaidMid-rangebettabotanicals.com — sustainably sourced
Aquarium Co-OpCatappa LeavesVariesVariesPaidMid-rangeaquariumcoop.com — reliable quality